Press Release Details

SHARKS HOLD ON TO DEFEAT BEARS

HERSHEY, Pa. – Freddie Hamilton tallied three points, including the game-winning goal in the third period, pacing the Worcester Sharks to a 3-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Saturday night at GIANT Center.

Hamilton started things off moments after Jeff Taffe rang the goal post on Hershey’s second power play of the opening period. Hamilton carried the puck himself, sped through the right circle and wrapped around the net with a shot that banked in past David Leggio at 15:16.

Hamilton then worked the puck to forward Bracken Kearns while the Sharks worked their second power play of the first period. Kearns whirled around with a shot that deflected off of Leggio’s pad and directly onto the tape of Matt Tennyson. The defenseman promptly ripped a shot past a diving Leggio at 16:59 for a 2-0 lead.

Hershey would get on the board when Worcester got themselves into penalty trouble in the middle frame. With three men in the Sharks penalty box, the Bears worked a two-man advantage and hit pay dirt when Julien Brouillette’s wrist shot sailed over Sharks netminder Troy Grosenick at 8:04. Nate Schmidt and Nicolas Deschamps assisted.

Hamilton would then find a loose puck while the Sharks worked a two-man advantage of their own in the final frame. Moments after Leggio denied three consecutive rapid-fire chances, Hamilton fished the puck from Leggio and fired it into the net at 12:12, giving Worcester a 3-1 edge.

Matt Watkins would later make a nice play at center ice, stripping the puck from the Sharks and leading an odd-man transition. He carried down the right side and spotted Deschamps breaking to the net. Watkins’ pass landed perfectly for Deschamps to chip the puck over Grosenick, cutting the Sharks’ lead to 3-2 at 15:49.

The Bears would earn a power play with 18 seconds left and play six-on-four, but Grosenick and the Sharks had the answer to hold on for the win.

Leggio made 34 saves but saw his record fall to 6-8-2. Grosenick improves to 6-3-0, with 29 saves on 31 shots faced.

The Bears record now stands at 11-10-2-3.

Hershey will again host the Sharks tomorrow, December 22 at 5:00 PM. The first 3,000 fans through the gates will receive a pint glass courtesy of Labatt Blue.

Additionally, the Bears will wear Christmas-themed jerseys to be auctioned off for charity following the game.

Individual tickets for these and all Hershey Bears home games are on sale at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717) 508-BEAR or by visiting TicketMaster.com on the internet. Information on season tickets, group tickets and flex plans for the 2013-2014 Hershey Bears regular season is available by calling (717)508-BEAR.

NOTES: The Bears injury scratches were D Tomas Kundratek, RW Garrett Mitchell and D Patrick Wey…The healthy scratches were D Brett Flemming, D Chay Genoway and LW Derek Whitmore…Hershey finished the night 1-for-7 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill…LW Nicolas Deschamps registered his fourth consecutive multiple-point game and now shows nine points (four goals, five assists) in the streak.

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